McCormack confirmed as ICMSA president for second term

The ICMSA National Council has formally confirmed incumbent president Pat McCormack will be staying on for a second three-year term at the helm of the association.

The National Council met to today to formalise McCormack’s continued tenure, after he was nominated unchallenged and uncontested last week for a second term.

McCormack is from Co. Tipperary. He was elected dairy chairperson in December 2009 and was elected deputy president in December 2011. He was elected president in December 2016, where he succeeded John Comer in the role.

Meanwhile, the ICMSA National Council also confirmed that incumbent deputy president Lorcan McCabe was also confirmed for another three-year stint in that role.

This position was contested, with McCabe beating out competition from current ICMSA Livestock Committee chairperson Des Morrison.

Morrison will now continue in the Livestock Committee role.

Of the other positions due to be decided this year, two other leading figures will also be staying put. Dennis Drennan will remain on as chairperson of the Farm and Rural Affairs Committee; while Shane O’Loughlin will continue as chairperson of the farm business committee.

There were also elections for two positions on the association’s Executive Committee, with Kieran O’Brien from Co. Meath and incumbent committee member D.J. Keohane from Co. Cork selected.

Voting was by post, with independent observers present for the opening and counting of the votes.

Kelleher elected president of ICSA

The ICMSA is not the only farm organisation that held elections this week.

Last night (Thursday, December 17), Dermot Kelleher was elected the new president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), beating out Sean McNamara in the two-horse race.

The election of Kelleher followed several weeks of online hustings. Due to Covid-19, the election process was changed to a postal ballot of ICSA National Executive members.